Yes, those are tree roots hanging from the top of the ceiling. They are there as part of an ongoing exhibit called “Secret Gardens” at the TENT Gallery in Rotterdam, Netherlands. The artist, Giuseppe Licari, brought the trees to show an underworld many don’t get to contemplate much.

The installation raises questions about the relationship between man and nature, of growth and decay, and many visitors were happy sitting under the tree roots rather than under tree branches. He says “The aura ‘is’ when the art ‘is’, and the art exists only at that time when the aura is simultaneously present.”

He also goes on to say that for him the work is complete only when the viewer is involved. “My work is an open-ended process of exploration of human perception and how it can be triggered through discrete or bold interventions.” Check out more of his art installation and other work here.

Shawn Saleme

Shawn Saleme is a contributing writer for Visual News. A 4th generation San Franciscan, Shawn has developed an adventurous spirit that has taken him to over 55 countries. His degree in cultural anthropology shapes his perspective and thirst to socially experiment in a rapidly shifting planet. His work has been featured in the Seattle Times, The Globalist and the Daily Mail. Currently he is writing a book about the shared economy. Connect with him @shawnsaleme.